Maybe you can’t be bothered to fuss over cable management. But some tricks for a cleaner-looking computer setup are so easy anybody can pull them off with minimal effort. Take today’s featured MacBook Pro setup, for example.
Its owner is primarily concerned about replacing aging dual displays, and we’ll cover some advice on that. But he also gets a valuable lesson about how to present a cleaner workstation by making one simple change.
Around 37 million Americans snore regularly. It’s not uncommon to deal with, but that doesn’t make it any easier for folks who sleep a bit worse because of it. If you want to try to stop snoring, give the Hupnos Anti-Snoring Sleep Mask a whirl. This intelligent, portable sleep mask is on sale for $94.99.
I rely on my devices for everything. Whether it’s my recipe book, my alarm clock, to help me get work done, or entertain me during my downtime, my devices are a critical piece of life. Having apps that help me in those situations (or just make them a little more fun) is key.
This week, an app that makes short work of dealing with obscure files, a way to manage your favorite color collections, and a delightful game to enjoy. As usual, if you have something you want us to check out for a future Awesome Apps post, be sure to email your suggestion or tweet them over!
Normally, to make smartphone apps, you’d have to learn one of the programming languages associated with them. Swift or Flutter and Dart are some of the common starting points. However, you may not actually have to learn to code to create mobile apps. Instead, you could use simple app builder software that may make it easier all around. For example, AppMySite is a quick, intuitive app builder that lets you turn any website into an iOS or Android app without writing a line of code, and a five-year subscription is on sale for $49.99 (Reg. $2,340).
It’s no secret that learning a new language as an adult is hard, especially if you’re comparing it to that breeze of a time you had as a baby learning your first. However, there are a lot of tools around that could make it easier to learn another language. Mondly has a Lifetime Subscription on sale that gives you access to all 41 of its languages, and it’s just $99.99 (Reg. $2,199).
You might be getting ready for a steady stream of visitors flying in right about now. Whether they’re out for candy, roasted bird or gifts, the influx of guests probably won’t slow down until New Year. Though you may expect company, it also pays to know who is actually at your door, whether it’s your food delivery or an old friend. The Ring Video Doorbell Wired is a smart replacement doorbell that lets you see who’s outside, among other awesome features. For a limited time, you can purchase one for $49.99 (Reg. $64), cheaper than what you’d find on Amazon.
★★★☆☆
Post-apocalyptic Apple TV+ series See comes to its thrilling conclusion this week, sending off Baba Voss and his family in high bloody fashion.
With the whole of civilization in a tunnel to freedom, Haniwa, Maghra and Kofun must decide whether to let Baba go to his death by himself or stay with their people in their hour of need. Can Baba stop deposed queen Sibeth Kane before she destroys everything, or before he gets caught and killed?
It took three seasons, but See is finally worth seeing. And wouldn’t you know it? It’s over.
If you’re like me, you love your iPad for its many uses and its portability. And an Apple Pencil is fun to use for both writing and drawing on the tablet. But wouldn’t it be more rewarding if it felt more like writing and drawing on real paper?
This may be why I still use an old-school notebook for most of my notes and doodles. But now the SwitchEasy PaperLike iPad Screen Protectors offers an inexpensive way to make the iPad screen feel more like paper when you use Pencil.
And better yet, you can get the screen protector at 20% off in the Cult of Mac Store from October 14 through October 21. That’s a savings of $6.
Roku is best-known for its streaming media devices. But it’s branching out with a whole-home strategy that will see a range of smart-home gadgets, including security cameras, lights and plugs, go on sale next week at Walmart, the company said.
But a report indicates the company isn’t saying yet whether its new gadgets will work with the new Matter smart-home connectivity standard supported by Apple and other companies. It’s designed to let devices from different makers work together on systems like Apple’s HomeKit and others.
Roku’s lack of clarity is a bit odd, given that it’s among the companies supporting Matter, and that might give some would-be purchasers pause.
★★★★★
Bad Sisters, the Apple TV+ black comedy about the murder of a bad man and the five women who stood to gain from it, draws its delicious first season to a close this week.
John Paul’s dead. Matthew’s closer than ever to finding the killer, but red herrings abound. John Paul’s widow Grace tells a tale to her sisters. The magnificent show comes to a gripping close in typically brilliant fashion.
Once in a while a computer setup comes along that shows off its owner’s invention. Sometimes it’s something perfectly utilitarian and sometimes it’s something weird and wonderful (examples below).
In today’s featured MacBook Pro and Intel NUC PC setup, we find a nifty folding MagSafe charging stand just about to go on the market.
You can have the most interesting Instagram post in the world, but the caption is still limited to the same fonts everyone else uses, and they don’t always communicate “fun.” If you want to add some excitement to the text on your social media profiles, messages and even your iOS device’s Home Screen, then you may want to try Fonts Art. A premium lifetime subscription to this awesome iOS app lets you add some new aesthetic flavor to your texts, and it’s on sale for $39.99.
★★★☆☆
In new Apple TV+ limited series Shantaram, Charlie Hunnam headlines as a man on the run from Australian authorities who starts over in Bombay — only to fall into still more trouble.
The ambitious drama, based on the best-selling book by Gregory David Roberts (which in turn was partly based on the author’s own experiences), charts a man’s new life in a hotbed of sin and all-but-sanctioned crime. Along the way, he discovers himself at long last in the least likely of settings.
Note: The $36 price goes up after 11:59 p.m. PST on October 13.
Whether you work or study on your Mac, Microsoft Office and its suite of apps, including Word, PowerPoint and Teams, is essential. Usually $349, you can set yourself up for life with the entire MS Office suite during our Deal Days event for $35.99. That’s an all-time low price for Microsoft Office.
Why is it so cheap? Our Deal Days sale is our version of Prime Day, which means it’s your chance to grab incredible deals on our most popular products. You’ll have to be quick, though, as these limited-time deals will only be around through October 12. You can check out the rest of the deals here.
You may not consider the humble desk mat a necessity in your computer setup. But what if you could charge your smartphone and earbuds charging case just by placing them on your desk? You can with the new Alti Wireless Charging Desk Mat. Accessories maker Journey unveiled it Thursday.
“This charging mat is our all-in-one solution to keeping your desk clutter-free while simultaneously charging your devices. We promise that it will soon become your favorite desk companion,” the company said.
You’ve probably used Microsoft Office before. More than a billion people have. However, using it and having lifetime access are two very different things. With a lifetime license to Office, you can rely on this software suite to manage things like your home budget (without a subscription cost eating into it).
For a limited time, we’ve got two-packs of lifetime licenses for Microsoft Office Home and Business for Mac 2021 and Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows on sale for $69.99 each.
Apple announced a plethora of iOS 16 features at WWDC22. But not all of them made their way into the first public release of the OS in September. Some of them will arrive later this year or even in early 2023.
Check out this list of iOS 16 features that we are still waiting for.
If you spend a few hundred bucks or more on an Apple Watch, you may want to protect it. People put their iPhones in cases all the time, so why not Apple’s wearable?
Good thing SwitchEasy makes a pair of aluminum cases that are protective yet subtle, saving your smartwatch from bumps, scrapes and drops.
And through October 13, you can get 20% off the cases in the Cult of Mac Store.
Design matters, and that doesn’t just apply to the phones you buy or the apps you depend on. The hand tools you regularly use can make or break your experience, and practically nothing exemplifies this more than your kitchen knives. A sharp knife may be intimidating, but it’s ultimately safer in the kitchen.
So if you’ve been looking for exceptional blades to round out your arsenal, consider these Seido knife sets. They bring great design into the kitchen. They feature forged high-carbon stainless steel blades with 15-degree cutting angles, which should hold a sharper edge longer than traditional stainless steel knives.
German airline Lufthansa is not banning Apple’s AirTags and similar tracking tags from checked luggage, the company said Wednesday.
“The German Aviation Authorities (Luftfahrtbundesamt) confirmed today, that they share our risk assessment, that tracking devices with very low battery and transmission power in checked luggage do not pose a safety risk,” a Lufthansa representative told Cult of Mac in an email Wednesday. “With that, these devices are allowed on Lufthansa flights.”
How many times have you watched the many-and-varied film-and-TV versions of the Charles Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol? You know, Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit, bad dreams, redemption. Well, if you haven’t heard, the story has once again clawed its way out of the grave.
Apple TV+ dropped a teaser trailer Wednesday for its new version, the comedy-musical Spirited set for release in theaters November 11 and on the streaming service November 18.
This time it looks like a contemporary take, with Ghost of Christmas Present Will Ferrell trying to drag corporate-executive-looking Ryan Reynolds into a vision that includes big dance numbers.
Sometimes the hero of a computer setup isn’t the computer itself. And it may not be a slick external display or other peripherals, either. In today’s featured MacBook Pro setup, a newly added LG UltraFine display gets some attention, but the real star is something a bit more pedestrian mounted on the wall behind it.
Pegboards may have no world-changing technology built into them, but they can radically change your setup for the better as an inventive storage and charging solution.
PDFs may be one of the most popular file types online, but they can be a bit of a pain to deal with. If you’ve ever used an online converter site instead of a dedicated PDF app, then you’re probably well aware of that.
PDF Converter Pro is a macOS app that makes working with this ubiquitous file type easier. And lifetime licenses are on sale for $29.99 — a whopping 70% discount — during Deal Days. This event is our version of Amazon’s Prime Day, and we’re offering discounts on a curated collection of apps, gadgets, online courses and more. No coupon is needed, but the sale ends at midnight tonight.
The job market can be daunting, but when equipped with the proper tools, there’s room to progress in your career confidently and find a professional fit. Regardless of your age or experience, new lessons and fresh insights always exist.
For those seeking the next step on their professional path, this Microsoft Office Professional 2021 and finance course bundle might help. And it’s on sale for just $39.99 (regularly $947), thanks to an exclusive Deal Days offer. Deal Days is our version of Amazon’s Prime Day. And until October 12, we’re offering discounts on popular gadgets, e-learning courses, apps and more.
Bose took a further step into the compact, affordable soundbar market Monday with release of its new Smart Soundbar 600. It looks set to compete in a growing pool of home-theater audio products that don’t break the bank.
Featuring Dolby Atmos, Bose “TrueSpace” and AirPlay 2 technology, the slender speaker goes for $499, Bose said.